Lightweight casket

Abstract

A lightweight structurally sound casket formed preferably of a sandwich construction using a core of an open cell or honeycomb patterned material and fluid resistant surface elements. The casket is comprised of a body containment portion and a lid portion, each of which has the sandwich construction as the main structural element. The open cell material is structurally enhanced by being sandwiched between first and second stabilizing surface elements in both the body containment portion and the lid portion. In addition to the stabilizing surface elements, an aesthetically pleasing material is adhered to the outer portions of the body containment section and lid so that the casket has an attractive appearance.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A casket comprising: 
       a body containment portion having a bottom and at least one wall extending upwardly from said bottom;  
       said bottom and said at least one wall constructed as a sandwich structure;  
       said sandwich structure having a core and first and second opposed surface elements attached to first and second opposed surfaces of said core;  
       one of said core and said first surface element being discontinuous and the other of said core and said first surface element being continuous at a juncture of said bottom and wall to facilitate folding a planar blank of said sandwich structure into said body containment portion.  
     
     
       2. The casket of  claim 1  wherein said core is discontinuous. 
     
     
       3. The casket of  claim 1  wherein said first surface element is discontinuous. 
     
     
       4. The casket of  claim 1  wherein said core and said first surface element are discontinuous. 
     
     
       5. The casket of  claim 1  wherein said core has a plurality of open cells. 
     
     
       6. The casket of  claim 1  wherein said core is honeycomb. 
     
     
       7. The casket of  claim 1  wherein said core has solid surfaces. 
     
     
       8. The casket of  claim 7  wherein said core is polystyrene foam. 
     
     
       9. The casket of  claim 1  wherein said surface elements are substantially liquid impervious. 
     
     
       10. The casket of  claim 1  further including an aesthetically pleasing outer layer of material attached to said second surface element. 
     
     
       11. The casket of  claim 1  wherein said bottom of said body containment portion is comprised of first and second layers of core which are attached to a third surface element interposed therebetween. 
     
     
       12. The casket of  claim 1  further comprising a lid constructed as a sandwich structure having a core and first and second opposed surface elements attached to first and second opposed surfaces of said lid core. 
     
     
       13. The casket of  claim 12  wherein said lid core has a plurality of open cells. 
     
     
       14. The casket of  claim 13  wherein said lid core is honeycomb. 
     
     
       15. The casket of  claim 12  wherein said lid core has solid surfaces. 
     
     
       16. The casket of  claim 15  wherein said lid core is polystyrene foam. 
     
     
       17. A casket comprising: 
       a shell and a lid enclosing said shell;  
       at least one of said shell and lid constructed as a sandwich structure;  
       said sandwich structure having a core and first and second opposed surface elements attached to first and second opposed surfaces of said core;  
       one of said core and said first surface element being discontinuous and the other of said core and said first surface element being continuous thereby forming a fold line about which to fold a planar blank of said sandwich structure into one of said shell and lid.  
     
     
       18. The casket of  claim 17  wherein the planar blank of said sandwich structure is folded into said shell. 
     
     
       19. The casket of  claim 18  wherein said shell has a bottom and at least one wall extending upwardly from said bottom. 
     
     
       20. The casket of  claim 19  wherein said one of said core and said first surface element is discontinuous at a juncture of said bottom and wall. 
     
     
       21. The casket of  claim 17  wherein said core is discontinuous. 
     
     
       22. The casket of  claim 17  wherein said first surface element is discontinuous. 
     
     
       23. The casket of  claim 17  wherein said core and said first surface element are discontinuous. 
     
     
       24. The casket of  claim 17  wherein said core has a plurality of open cells. 
     
     
       25. The casket of  claim 24  wherein said core is honeycomb. 
     
     
       26. The casket of  claim 7  wherein said core has solid surfaces. 
     
     
       27. The casket of  claim 26  wherein said core is polystyrene foam. 
     
     
       28. The casket of  claim 17  wherein said surface elements are substantially liquid impervious. 
     
     
       29. The casket of  claim 17  further including an aesthetically pleasing outer layer of material attached to said second surface element. 
     
     
       30. The casket of  claim 17  said bottom of said shell is comprised of first and second layers of core which are attached to a third surface element interposed therebetween.